Self-feeder



Sept. 30, 1952 c. c. FULS SELF-FEEDER Filed May 9, 1949 Q w% w m .U m mp. w 20 m c. r. $M-22 MA v M w 4 I a a 2 y E ,1 M I r A 1 u w 1 1 62 4 4/ 4 3 Patented Sept. 30, 1952 sum-FEEDER, H v

Charles '0. Fuls, near New Lebanon, Ohio stream May 9,1949, Serial No. 92,097

This invention "relates to a self feeder and more particularly to a selffeeder for pets and the like,

such as rabbits. 7 7

Numerous types of self feeders have been used for feeding rabbits and other small animals; but such self feeders are usually wasteful, in that the rabbits enjoy playing with the feed, shoving it aside with their noses and getting theirpaws into the feed, thereby digging thefeed out of the used.

The base I supports an inverted V-shaped deflector plate for causing the feed to completely drain from the hopper l2. The lower margins 32 of the walls 2|] and 26 of the hopper are de- V 1 Claim. 1 o1. 119-43) fieoted, so as to provide a pair of passages 34,

one on either side of: the inverted V-shaped deflector plate 30. The width of the passages 34,

may be adjusted by bending the lower margins 32 of the walls 26 and '26, so as to regulate the; flow of feed'into the trough or feed compartment 48, one on either'side, as shown in Figures '11, 2

and .3. Ihestructure described thus far,,with

the exception of the adjustment .of the passages feeder. I V 10 St, is substantially conventional as far as various Anobject ofthis invention is 'to" provide'a self types of self feeders are concerned. i feeder wherein the feeding trough has an' opening A bathe-like plate member 42 isused .for cover; or openings sufficiently large for the rabbit to ining the trough or feed; compartment, 49. Meni-j sert his nose, but too small topermit the rabbit y ber 52 is provided with one ormore annular to throw the feed out of the trough with his nose openings 44. Only one opening has been shown and sufficiently small to prevent the rabbit from in. the drawing. This opening ilissurrounded getting his paw andhis nose into the trough at bya downwardly directed flange '46projectin'g the same time. v downwardly 'into the feed compartment. T is Furthermore, it is an object of this invention 9 flange 46 provides a smoothed'gesurrounding-the ,to provide a guard above the opening intotheopening. Furthermore, it prevents the rabbit feeding compartment for retainingfeed removed I from readily throwing feed out of the trough; from the trough; This results in a self feeder but permits the rabbitto insert his nose, through that is economical, in that the feed is not wasted. this opening so as to feed. However, it hasv been- This self feeder is dependable and at the same found that" the baffle-like plateg member 1:21pm time provides adequate feeding facilities for videdwith the openingfor openings M and the rabbits and the like. downwardly projectingfiangedfi does not come. Other objects and advantages reside in the pletely prevent therabbit from working feed out construction 01 parts, the combinationthereof of the trough. Once-in-a while the rabbit will and the mode of operation, as will become more succeed in getting some feed, up .through'gthe apparent from the following description. no opening 44 and on top'of thetamer peze In the drawings, Figure l is a'perspective view member 42. r 1 l of the preferred embodiment of the selflfeeder. As a further precautionary measure'for ere-- Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken. subventin the feed from being spilled, thefba filestantially on the line 2 t of Figure 1 I 'likeplate member 42 is surrounded bya moldin Figure 3 is another. cross sectional view taken like retaining wall including. the outwardl y 1 substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 1. rectedportion 50 and the inwardly. directed-pork Figure .4 is a perspectiveviewof a modification. tion 52, the portions '50 and 52 cooperating to. Figure'5 is a cross sectional. view taken subform a substantially V-shaped wall surrounding stantially onthe line 55 of Figure 4. 1 three sides of the bafiie-like plate member 42,." Referring tothe drawings, the reference .char- By extending the ends of the hoppertsofas toacter [9 indicates the base ofthe'jself feeder. A project. outwardlyi to. the {outer edgepf the hopper E2 is supported upon the base l0 and is troughs, the retaining-portions and 52 extend provided with a lid or cover [4 hinged at It and alongionly one side of each trough. In the event manipulated by means of a handle 13. This prothe rabbit succeeds in getting pelletsor feed upon vides a cover for an opening used in filling the '45 the baffle-like member 42, the rabbit does not sucself feeder. The upper side wall 20 of the hopper oeed in spilling the feed. Theretaining portions I2 is provided with a staple 22 seated in a suitable 50 and 52 retain the feed upon the bafile-like recess'in the downwardly'projecting hasp 24 plate member '42. It has been found that th mounted on the lid [4. Any othersuitable derabbits waste practically no feedwhen fed from vice for holding the cover in position may be 50 this self feeder. On very rare occasions are any of the pellets wasted.

When using the self feeder it may be necessary to adjust the passages 34' toprovide the proper for the passage of the feed.

Referring to the disclosures shown in Figures 7 4 and 5, another modification has been shown.

In this modification the hopper l2 and the trough or feed compartment 40 are identical to that shown in the preferred embodiment, or substan tially so. However, instead of the battle-like plate members 42, shown in the preferred embodiment, metallic straps 6B and 52 extend across the trough at regular spaced intervals. Members 60 are attached by spot welding or otherwise to a, frame member 64 extending along all sides of the trough portions 40 and are located below the molding-like retaining wall consisting Portions 50 a d 5. mb rs and, 64 co Qherate to orm f leike be M mbers 62 are s ur d to p tions 52 al ngt e uter end and to the body of the hopper I2 at, the n r end- Th e membe s 60- e e aced suf ficiently close together so as to form openings that are substantially square, instead of the und en g 4 di c d. in. he preferr d em d m t The tra s '1 an 2 prevent the rabbit from throwing thefeed out of the trough by erk his e wise. in tha the t ap Q0 and 62; limit the lateral movement of the head, Furthermore, these straps are, sufiiciently .1056 together so as to make it practically imr" possible to. insert, the paw and the nose into the same opening, which seems to be required for the rabbit to lift feed out of the trough.

By providing openings sufficiently large to accommodate full grown rabbits, such a self feeder designed as described above is also very satisfacto y for feeding young rabbits. The question m y be ask d, w ll a, oun r bbit i s hi Paw and nose t the s me time? As a as. e. Size i c nc rne a young rabbit cou d proba ly o so; b t a un rabbi ttin on the oor ad ac nt t e elff ede i t o small l to reach over into the feed trough without suppo n hims l by is fr n fe t on the flange portion h s f an e p rt 52 Seems to be a natural as a step upon which the front I paws of the young rabbits are positioned.

As best seen in Figure 4, two types of feed may be fed. from the same hopper. This has been accomplished by providing a partition 10 extending from the top of the hopper to the inverted v-shaped deflector plate 30. This permits two typesof feed to be fed, one type being fed through one troughand another type through the other trough, or. it permits the use of the self feeder for supplying feed to two. hutches. This may be accomplished by positioning the self feeder between two hutches. By partitioning the; hopper, it can readily beseen that it is a comparatively easy matter to keep a record of the amount of feed supplied to each litter, one in each hutch.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated'consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A self feeder for rabbits including a troughlike portion forming a. base, a centrally disposed inverted V-shaped deflecting member mounted in the bottom of the trough and extending throughout the length thereof, a rectangular sheet metal hopper mounted above the V-shaped deflecting member, the lower side edges of the hopper being mounted in close proximity to the legs of the inverted V, the lower edges of the hopper being bendable so as to adjust the width of the passage between the V-shaped member and the lower edges of the hopper by merely bending the lower edges of the hopper to thereby adjust the feed passage. bathe-like members mou ted in the sides of the hopper in spaced relation from the bottom of the trough, said baffle-like members being provided with openngs unded by downwardly dir ted flan portions, said openings being sufliciently large to accommodate the nose of a rabbit but too small to accommodate the nose and a paw of a rabbit, the edges of the trough projecting above the baffle-like members, the portions of the edges of the trough located above the bafflelike members being deflected outwardly immediately above the baffle-like members so as to form a substantially 45 angle with respect to the baffle-like members, the upper portions being deflected, inwardly so as to form a substantially 9d" angle with respect to the outwardly deflected portions, the two deflected portions cooperating to form substantially V-shaped retaining grooves surrounding the baffle-like members to retain any feed tossed out of the trough.

CHARLES C. FULS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 988,962 Baker Apr. 11, 1911' 1,159,190 Derr Nov. 2, 19 15 1,518,891 Angeli Dec. 9, 1924 1,593,705. Nebergall July 27, 1926 1,787,330 Spei'cher Dec. 30, 1930 2. 557332 Ballard Dec. 28, 1948 

